Psalm 119:107

When you are dealing with a lot of problems that inflict pain either in body or soul do you ever state that you are “going through a lot”?  In the verse of Psalm 119 that we consider today, the psalmist did, in effect, say the same thing. 

Psalms 119:107  I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

The psalmist was afflicted very much.  He was “going through a lot.”  He was, as Peter put it, “in heaviness through manifold temptations” (1Peter 1:6).  The psalmist’s problems were bearing down on him to such an extent that they were having a deadening effect.  He was losing his joy, hope, and zeal.  He was to such a point that he felt he couldn’t handle it anymore.  How do I know this was the case?  I know this from the prayer request he made:  quicken me, O LORD.  Once again, consider the definition of quicken.

Quicken – To give or restore life to; to make alive; to vivify or revive; to animate. To give, add, or restore vigour to (a person or thing); to stimulate, stir up, rouse, excite, inspire.

The psalmist needed to be revived.  He needed something to invigourate him since he felt so sapped of life and strength.  He needed to be brought back from the dead, as it were.  And for this revival and restored vigour he looked to God.  Good choice!  For, as we have noted in previous meditations, God has promised in His word to revive those who humbly wait upon Him.

Isaiah 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

Referring to this quickening operation Charles Spurgeon wrote:  “This is the best remedy for tribulation; the soul is raised above the thought of present distress, and is filled with that holy joy which attends all vigorous spiritual life, and so the affliction grows light.”

The psalmist looked to God to quicken him according unto thy word.  He did not expect the Lord to revive him apart from his Bible, for God uses His word to quicken us as we saw in verse 93 of this psalm.

Psalms 119:93  I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

According to verse 50 of this psalm, the psalmist had already experienced the quickening power of God’s word when he was in affliction.

Psalms 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

Since God’s word had quickened him in the past, the psalmist had good reason to expect it to do so again.  How many times has a passage of Scripture, one of these mediations on this psalm, or an edifying sermon revived you when you were down?  If this has happened before, then it is likely to happen again.  Therefore, based on today’s verse, I would heartily advise you to keep coming to this reviving, invigourating source of refreshment, the word of the living God.  For it is there that you will encounter the Lord Who will quicken you again.  To fail to come to God for quickening is either to give up in despair or to look to some other source to revive you.  When you do that, your heart will depart from the Lord and you will perish in your affliction.

Psalms 119:92  Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

Oh, dear reader, if you have allowed your affliction to embitter you to the point that you neither call on the Lord for help nor search His word, may I urge you to repent and retrace your steps back to Him Who alone can revive your drooping heart and give you “songs in the night” (Job 35:10).